


heartbreaker, real faker

by orphan_account



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Implied Sexual Content, Light Angst, M/M, dimitri and claude don't do fwbs very well, dimitri is Sad and Gay, fire emblem three houses comes out in a week!!!! hype!!!!, heavily headcanon-based content, set in post-time skip!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 21:48:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19876606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Five years later, Dimitri and Claude have a lot to talk about.





	heartbreaker, real faker

**Author's Note:**

> rises from the dead  
> hello  
> i am very excited for fe:three houses!!! if you are reading this after fe:3houses came out, i am sorry   
> hope you enjoy it anyway

How did it end up like this again?

Dimitri didn’t know how he ended up alone with Claude in his quarters: in fact, he’s been actively trying to avoid Claude in all ways. During the day, night, crowded, alone; the mountains were warmer than the cold shoulder Dimitri was giving him.

All it took for the snow to crumble was for Claude to put a hand on his shoulder and say, “Let’s talk.” 

Dimitri only nodded and then Claude was directing him to his own quarters with the guidance of just one hand. It was silent at first, even after the door has closed as Dimitri goes about tidying his quarters. Disrobing his cape, gauntlets, and straightening the pile of papers. The sun has just disappeared behind the horizon to paint the room with mauves and blues.

He does his best to not remember the last time they were alone like this in the dark. It makes his entire body burn.

Dimitri doesn’t notice Claude already have found his way behind him, one hand reaching to cup his cheek. The metal of his rings is cold against his face, but his touch is gentle, so sweet. And like a fool, like a moth to flame, he turns his body around to face Claude and chases the touch.

“Oh, Dimitri. You look so tired.” Claude murmurs – and he hasn’t changed these past five years, not at all. He still made Dmitri’s heart tremor in his chest with just a smile and it was infuriating as much as it was welcoming at this point of time.

Both hands cup his face and his thumbs rub slow circles on Dmitri’s face - (they were now the same height – were his eyes always this warm? he should’ve looked at them more before) - awaiting a response from Dmitri that will not come.

_I am tired._

One of his thumbs tuck underneath his eyepatch and slides it off his head in one smooth motion. Dmitri knows what it looks like, knows the ugliness of it, but somehow, Claude’s quiet reaction makes his heart wrench more than a disgusted outburst.

“You know…five years ago, you would’ve thrown a fit if I did that to you,” he comments easily. His hands have moved from cupping his cheeks to running through Dimitri’s long, unkempt hair.

“Things change,” is all Dimitri says. _I’ve changed._ Claude continues to run his fingers through his strands in continuous motion, nails scraping against the scalp. He closes his eyes for a moment, indulging in the treatment.

“Well, I’m not complaining.” Claude laughs. “Although, I am disappointed by the lack of product in your gorgeous mane.”

Dimitri’s good eye opens to squint at Claude whose grin is too large. “You’ve always been the diva between us two.”

Claude gasps, and his hands still. Dmitri tries not to sigh at the last, but he does frown. “You wound me, Dimitri. Truly, you do. I’m never going to survive from this low blow.”

Dimitri chuckles, finally pushing Claude away and searching for his patch. He picks it up and dons it again, the familiar weight against his eyelid made his shoulders relax. When he turns around, Claude is smiling again but it is not the same grin as before.

It’s the smile that Dimitri catches when he feels eyes on him and then sees Claude across the room: calculating. It’s as if Claude could see Dmitri’s own thoughts in his heart and head before he could even recognize them. It was all a façade, really; that whole “who, me? I’m just a silly duke!” mask that he wears. It took a long time for Dimitri to see through it – and he believes that’s because Claude wanted him to see through it.

For reasons unknown to Dimitri still.

“What are you so scared of?” Claude asks, crossing his arms.

Dimitri shrugs. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” _Wrong answer._

Claude knows that and he raises an eyebrow. “Really? You want to play this game, Dmitri?”

“You play games – I just happen to be caught up in the mess.”

“Is that what you think of us? A mess?”

_What was even ‘us’?_ Dimitri barely even remembers that night – when they were drunk alone in Claude’s quarters, talking about their fears against the burning candle light. Claude’s hair was down, falling around his face, but he was beautiful like wet earth and sunshine. They were almost finished with the wine that Claude was gifted a year ago that was opened the same night. Apparently, Claude has been saving it for a special night – a special night of brooding and complaining.

-

_“I might die before I even fall in love.” Claude lamented, swirling his wine in his glass in careless motions. Some of it drips onto the carpet. “Isn’t that pathetic? All the great heroes died for love.”_

_Dimitri shook his head. “There is no greater honour than dying for your country and people.”_

_Claude made a face. “Of course, you’d say that.”_

_He shrugged, taking a swig from his glass. “I’m not a romantic.”_

_“Yeah, no shit. No wonder they call you the ice prince. You’re cold to the bone.”_

_Dimitri wondered who ‘they’ were but decides to finish his glass so he could get another. He feels like he’s burning from the inside out. He loosens the tie of his blouse, his jacket long discarded. “Yeah, well, you could’ve chosen someone else to join your pity party.”_

_Claude pouted. He put his glass down on the table to rest his head on top of his arms. “I like talking to you.”_

_“What happened to me being the ‘ice prince’?” The alcohol was really making Dimitri say things that he wouldn’t. He should really stop drinking._

_“I just know you better. And I guess no one else understands me like you do either.” Claude laughed and it was too loud and too high to be real._

_“I would have to disagree.”_

_“Then, why did you agree to drink with me? Pity? Obligation?” He asked. Claude tried to straighten his posture but with all the alcohol he drank, he ended up with a lean. Dimitri knew he wasn’t doing much better, slumped over in his chair._

_“Curiosity.” Dimitri admitted, tongue loose from the wine. “Things are certainly never boring with you.”_

_“Is that a compliment?”_

_Dimitri squinted. “Of course, it is. Who wants a life of boredom?”_

_“Well, your definition is boredom is different from mine, my prince,” Claude snorted. “You get excited over taxes.”_

_“They’re an essential part of a well-functioning society!”_

_“Nerd. You know, most people our age don’t get excited over stock inventory. They’re living their lives to the fullest -”_

_Dimitri raised an eyebrow. “To the fullest as in discovering all the ways they can wake up sick, you mean.”_

_“Well, yeah but waking up with company obviously.”_

_“Isn’t that what we’re doing right now?” Dimitri asked, gesturing towards them both. “I don’t know why you’re complaining.”_

_Claude’s eyes widened and – oh, he said something he shouldn’t have. “Oh, is that’s what’s happening? I didn’t think you were interested in that sort of debauchery, Prince Dimitri.”_

_He sputters, and yeah – he needs more alcohol for this – so he pours himself another glass hastily. He nearly missed the cup with his speed. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it - !”_

_“Yeah, I do, but a man can dream though.”_

_Before Dimitri could take another sip, he paused. What was Claude saying? Was he suggesting – ? “You don’t mean that,” he said._

_“That’s not for you to decide.” Claude scoffed. “It’s not like men sleeping together is unheard of.”_

_Dimitri shook his head. “It’s not that,” he protested. Dimitri knew who he favoured for a long time. It probably didn’t help with the whole ‘ice prince’ appearance. “It’s just – it’s me.”_

_“Feeling insecure now, are we?” The light of the candle flickers and the gold in Claude’s eyes shift with his smile. When did he unbutton his shirt again? His dark chest was bare and soft without any scars._

_He managed to swallow a lump in his throat and said, “Inexperienced.”_

_Claude had the audacity to laugh – and if his laugh wasn’t so nice then Dimitri might’ve punched him in the mouth. “Not even one kiss?”_

_Dimitri threw his hands in the air. “Maybe!”_

_The expression on Claude’s face made Dimitri want to jump out of the window. Stupid Claude – with his stupid face and mouth who’s probably kissed many men and women._

_“I’m not making fun of you, y’know.” He said, tilting his head. “I’m just – surprised, is all.”_

_Dimitri remembers all the parties he’s been forced to attend. All the women that smelled a bit too much like honey and who leaned in too close when talking to him. He’s been approached often but never by those he was interested in. And even during those rare instances, he always used his duties as an excuse._

_“I’m not…good with relationships.” Dimitri admitted. “I’ve always been – too busy for that.”_

_“Who said it had to be a relationship?” He was leaning in closer now – but Claude wasn’t like those women. He smelled just right that even the wine on his breath wasn’t enough to stop Dimitri from leaning in closer too._

_-_

Dimitri sighed through clenched teeth. “Well, what would you call it? A relationship? Were we lovers, Claude? That was never – it was never supposed to go that far.”

First, it was a one-time thing – then it became a two-time thing. Then they lost count but, it wasn’t a relationship-thing – it was fine. At least, that was what Dimitri told himself and has been telling himself for the past five years.

“So, you thought it’d be okay to leave without saying goodbye? You thought it’d be fine to just ignore me after reuniting for the first time in five years?” Claude persisted, striding towards Dimitri who only took three steps back. His lips were curled into a snarl to show bright teeth like sharpened diamonds.

“How was I supposed to know that you were sentimental?” Dimitri exclaimed. “We were just both young and lonely, it was _five years ago_ – I thought that you would’ve forgotten it by now.”

“Answer the question, Dimitri.”

Dimitri remembers that morning. He had not slept at all and had listened to Claude’s heavy breathing throughout the night. It tickled Dimitri’s ear with his warm embrace all around him as if he could protect him from the world. It took some maneuvering until he managed to pry himself from Claude’s arms. Truthfully, he also wasted time by petting his face and running hands through dark hair that made Claude sigh sleepily under his touch.

He left into the morning darkness afterwards but not before he imagined Claude whisper, “Stay.”

Or maybe he didn’t imagine it at all.

Claude – the one standing in front of him – shakes his head. “Whatever. I don’t know why I even tried – you’re impossible.” 

Dimitri hisses through his teeth, fists clenching by his sides. He was never good with words – not like Claude – so it was a feeble attempt to hurt him, to feel bigger when he spits, “Get out. Now.”

Obviously, it didn’t work. Claude just scoffs, shoves past him and mutters, “What are you going to do when you run out of all that worthless pride?” Dimitri isn’t fast enough to turn around to see his expression when the door slams shut behind him.

In the dark, alone, Dimitri begins to ready himself for the night. He washes his face with the water-filled basin by the bed and undresses himself to his light layer of clothes. He draws the curtains close and climbs into the bed, sheets scratching against his bare skin.

He dreams of Claude illuminated by a burning candle.

He dreams of Claude’s hands intertwined with his.

He dreams of Claude’s warm kisses and laugh against the back of his neck.

And then, young Dimitri who stares at him with both eyes and says: _“What else do you need except your worthless pride?”_

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!! leave a kudos/comment if u want!  
> (song title: karma - marina)


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